Lawmakers disagree over motion on militarisation of general elections

The Senate was thrown into rowdy session on Wednesday following
the request of Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi West) to bring up a motion in
the next plenary session.

Mr Melaye, who raised a point of order, had prayed his
colleagues to let him bring a motion to debate the militarisation
of the just concluded general elections.

Nigeria conducted her presidential and National Assembly
elections on February 23 and the governorship and state houses of
assembly elections on March 9.

Mr Melaye who said his point of order has nothing to do with
politics, said the motion will help curb electoral malpractices in
future elections.

“What I am raising this morning has nothing to do with political
parties.

“I want to bring before this Senate, the elections both on the
9th and 23rd in this country and I believe that the Senate of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not close our eyes to the
happenings of those elections.

” Iwant that election to be debated on this floor. I want to
bring a motion to be addressed by this Senate in the next
legislative day so that the militarisation of the process, the
abuses of this election, will not go undiscussed in this parliament
for posterity sake.

“And so that solutions can be given and the president can also
be properly advised and the electoral act be signed into law as we
begin to prepare for future elections.

“This is my prayer. Let it be discussed as a Senate. We will
debate and give accounts of what happened in our various senatorial
districts with the vision of correcting electoral malpractices, he
said.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, thereafter, put the
question for a voice vote.

There was loud echo of “ayes and “nays”.

Mr Saraki, however, ruled that the prayer be adopted. He said
according to the Senate’s Standing Order, only one-fifth of the
lawmakers is required to support the prayer before it can be
adopted.

“Distinguished colleagues, by the order, you only need one-fifth
of the senators to support the motion. It will be taken in the next
legislative day.

Arguments ensued.

The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, stood up to question Mr Saraki’s
ruling.

“A non-partisan motion was on the floor. You ruled. We didn’t
hear the ruling. What was your ruling,” he asked amidst increasing
noise.

For Bala Na’Allah, there was no motion as he said Mr Melaye
introduced himself as a “senator-elect”.

“He was not speaking as a senator,” he added.

In a bid to calm the seemingly angry lawmaker, the senate
president, again, explained his ruling adding that the motion, when
brought, will not be partisan.

He also said legal action will be taken where necessary and the
motion will be debated at the leadership before it is placed on the
order paper.

In the midst of the rowdiness, Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano) also
stood up to question Mr Saraki’s ruling – again.

He quoted the order of the senate which permits a lawmaker to
challenge the opinion of the Senate president/the chairman.

“I don’t know your ruling on the motion.”

Again, more noise.

Mr Saraki pleaded with his colleagues not to abuse the process
of the plenary and move on to other important business of the
day.

Mr Melaye is, therefore, expected to lead a motion on the
alleged militarisation of the just concluded general elections on
Thursday.